Exhibition: "40 years of democratic city councils"
The end of municipal Francoism
The elections of 3 April 1979 opened up a new stage, that of democratic municipal governments, and put an end to local Francoism.
The anti-Francoist opposition had shown its real strength at local level, especially in the big cities around the country. That was why the central governments of Arias Navarro (1974–1976) and Adolfo Suárez (1976–1977 and 1977–1981) delayed the election of democratic councils as long as possible. They feared political change, initiated after the death of General Franco and channelled through the institutions, could get out of control with participation from below.
Now, on the 40th anniversary of the recovery of local democracy, we look at the history of the first municipal legislature, which laid the foundations for a profound transformation of Barcelona.
The powerful social mobilisation of the last years of Francoism made the outburst of democracy on a municipal level possible, starting with the elections on 3 April 1979. Photographs of the 11 September demonstration in 1979 on Ronda Universitat, Barcelona (AFB, La crònica gràfica de Barcelona, Pérez de Rozas, photojournalist, 11 September 1979).
The powerful social mobilisation of the last years of Francoism made the outburst of democracy on a municipal level possible, starting with the elections on 3 April 1979. Photographs of the 11 September demonstration in 1979 on Ronda Universitat, Barcelona (AFB, La crònica gràfica de Barcelona, Pérez de Rozas, photojournalist, 11 September 1979).
